Mornington Crescent - a playtest

[AlternateTorg]

Stockwell (E5). Seasoned players may recognize this as an inverted Pickney-Lancaster gambit and might think that this would put me at a disadvantage with handicapped access rules in effect. However, because I started on the Northern Line, I can spend some of my unlimited base metal tokens to gain access to the Victoria Line and neatly avoid the normal consequences (see Lancaster ruling of '77 §5 for justification), except that I won't be able to get back onto the Northern Line for a half-cycle. As MC is a long ways off yet, that's no problem.

[CCC]

Hendon Central (B4)

I shall exchange my red top hat for an orange bowler, and refuse the ticket to which I would normally be entitled at this point. (I presume that a ticket still counts as a token under the Finchley Rules; if not, then refusing it would of course be rather counterproductive).

[drachefly]

You are correct.

Hexnut, you got my Barbican! Okay, well, need an alternate insertion - Barking (C9).

CCC, we may be traversing soon. I declare an offer of a roundgate bypass in the event of a full transversal; if you only go for the partial, I decline.

[CCC]

Oh, now that is tempting. Very tempting. It's taken me some time to work out how that helps you at all, and I must compliment you on your sneakiness; taking a C9 station and then making an offer to a person whose name starts with a C and contains a number of letters that is the square root of 9? And it doesn't even really matter if I accept or not; the mere fact that you made the offer is quite enough for the Fitzsimmons Gambit...

So... do I go for the partial, and risk being thoroughly spooned, or do I go for the complete traversal, and give you the option to immediately take Baker Street with all that that entails? If I accept the complete traversal, then that's to my benefit as well; but far, far more to your benefit than mine...

Difficult. I shall make a delaying move while I consider the pros and cons.

Brent Cross (B4)

[AlternateTorg]

Victoria (D4)

No, this isn't an ill-advised attempt at a Cartwright gambit. I can't get to Baker Street without a ticket under these rules, and I haven't any peaches.

[hexnut]

Cartwright gambit? Sure, go ahead and name that elephant in the room. After Wenslyedale '99 I thought that would have been put to rest. Just to make sure, however, I proceed to Kensal Rise(B3) And in honor of the recent LeMans 24 race, I unfold a brolly in authentic John Wyer Racing colors...

[drachefly]

This is an unsupported salient interposition, but I'm going to try Gospel Oak (B5). While the more conservative option of Walthamstow Queen's Road would have been a pretty decent setup, I think I could punish any excise or spoon attempts. The Upper Cross is significantly safer in this variant. Let's see if it's safe enough.

[dotwarner]

Oh no! Late to the party... Can a lady join your game in progress? Do I have to take a 3rd Course Penalty, or does this variant allow for me to play through without causing a Smithfield Klein incident?

In either case, I'll start off at Oxford Circus (C5), because as a child I always wanted to go there, because I thought there would be elephants and trapeze artists there. I was so depressed to learn it was just a circle.

[drachefly]

Hmm. I believe you will have to do the 3rd course. It should be but a minor detriment without the hail of blocking tags one might get in a token-ful game.

[wherami]

I tried to join late as a dasterdly unabashed cheat and got stuck on Oxford Circus for hours upon hours. At one point I begged a bonnie lass from the country to fetch a constable to assist but alas she scoffed me in the parlance of her kind...

[dotwarner]

Baker Street (C4), dear Watson!

I am struck by the gallantry of you gentlemen in not immediately boxing me up on to the Circle-- I thought for sure that I had left myself open for that. Thanks for the reprieve (as I let an evil chuckle slip out)!

Onward!

[drachefly]

In my case it wasn't so much gallantry, as I wasn't finished accumulating.

West Hamstead (B4). I now have the hemicirclement of zone 2. And if anyone tries to interfere, it's Dollis Hill for everyone.

[smilingfox]

Just to question if the alternative token rules makes a difference to the unfortunate "Sunday Bus Replacement Service" and "Bank Holiday reduced service" conflict [Apparent since the 1975 Rules Localisation conference at Windsor Castle.]

[for the non-British players information a Sunday Bus Replacemen service is when a line is partially closed for repairs and they put on extra busses that /only/ accept train tickets and follow the trains route as closely as possible. And Bank Holidays are just National holidays when they usually run the same number of trains as a Sunday.]

[drachefly]

I guess the standard resolution applies here. Where's the conflict?

ETA: Ah, I see what the problem could have been. Let the rules and the ruling stand. It just makes certain moves that would have been okay into bad moves, but it's on the player to avoid those.

[hexnut]

Oh my, I step away for a bit and return to find a Machiavellian network of intrigue and interlocking strategy. Not to mention, the addition of the diabolical Dot. Don't get me wrong, I admire multi-level subterfuge as much as the next player, but it means I shall have to step my game up merely to survive.
So, gloves off now, I guess. Chigwell! (A8) At least I have white, green, and replica diamond jubilee tickets...

(OOG: I just spent a week using the Paris Metro. Definitely less user-friendly than the tube, especially during a scheduled rail strike.)